5/28/2011

BRAIN TREE
CURRENT AFFAIRS & GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

1st December, 2009 to 31st December, 2009

1. India’s first science satellite, ‘Astrosat’, is set to be launched next year. One more satellite,
‘Aditya’, to study the Sun’s coronal mass ejection will be launched in two years and the science
mission to Mars by 2013. This was announced at the Homi Bhabha centenary celebrations by
Shri. Madhavan Nair, former Chairman of ISRO.
2. The World Trade Organisations seventh ministerial meeting held earlier this month at Geneva
ended without anything substantial to show. According to its official statement the conference
sent a strong signal of convergence on the importance of Doha round talks to economic recovery
and poverty alleviation in developing countries. The ministers reaffirmed the need to completed.
The ‘Doha round’ by 2010. A stock-taking exercise is to be held by March next year. The one
point on which the member countries have agreed upon since the Hong Kong ministerial
meeting (2005) is that the Doha round should be kept alive. Despite considerable
improvements, the refined texts of the drafts on agriculture and non-agricultural market access
(NAMA) remain contentious. For India, an important outstanding issue is that of bringing
negotiations in services on a par with those in agriculture and NAMA.
3. The setting up of a high level committee of ‘State Industry’ ministers to suggest simplification
of procedures to accelerate investment and industrial growth in the country was announced by
the centre.
 The seven State Industry Ministers, who are the members of the committee are from
Maharashtra, A.P., Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan.
 The committee has been mandated to prepare guidelines for creation of ‘Industrial Land
banks’ consisting of waste and fallowlands. The panel has been asked to ensure that as
far as possible, agricultural land should not be included in the land banks but land
locked up in industrial units or areas that are sick or lying unutilized should be
considered for the bank.
 The committee has been asked to simplify and rationalize the licensing and clearance
procedures required to start a business.
 The panel would also formulate a framework for preparation of state specific investment
promotion strategies. It would also draw an outline for preparation of state level skill
development plan.
 The setting up of such a panel is to bring about uniformity among the states on
investment and industrial growth related subjects.
4. Lionel Messi, footballer, claimed the World player-of-the year award from FIFA President,
Joseph Sepp Blatter in Zurich. Federer and Serena named ITF World Champions.
5. Sri Kumar Banerjee took over as Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) and
Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), from Anil Kakodkar. Dr. Banerjee was till now
Director, BARC, Trombay.
6. India, will get $ 1 billion for ‘Mission Clean Ganga’ from the World Bank, as per recent news.
7. HDFC Chairman and CEO, Deepak S. Parekh steps down as CEO of HDFC. Keki M. Mistry to
take over as CEO in addition to being Vice Chairmanship.
8. European space and defence corporation European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company
(EADS ) inaugurated its new research facility in Bangalore. Yann Barboux is the EADS Head.

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5/28/2011
BRAIN TREE
CURRENT AFFAIRS & GENERAL KNOWLEDGE
1st December, 2009 to 31st December, 2009

9. Larsen and Toubro set up a joint venture with the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited
(NPCIL) to make special steels and ultra-heavy forgings.
 L&T Chairman, A.M. Naik said the venture would be funded through a mix of debt and
equity in the ratio of 3:1 and will have a paid – up equity capital of Rs. 500 crore.
 The new integrated facility will come up in Hazira near Surat in Gujarat and the unit will
be commissioned in April 2011.
 The facility will have a dedicated steel melt shop. Direct access to a water front at Hazira
will facilitate multi-modal transportation and exports.
 Indigenous manufacture of forgings will close a critical gap in India’s ability to produce
equipment for nuclear, thermal power and hydrocarbon plants and also enable a significant
reduction in cycle times.
10. The CHOGM meet took place in Trinidad between November 27th and 29th. Commonwealth
General Secretary, Kamalesh Sharma claimed it was a crisis summit. Trinidads PM is Patrick
Manning who invited the special guests, UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon, Danish PM Lars
Rasmussen, French President, Nicholas Sarkozy.
11. India and Russia have sealed a breakthrough long-term pact for expanding civil nuclear
cooperation that is free from any restriction on India and guarantees it against any curb in the
future.
 Russia could eventually supply up to 20 nuclear reactors to India. Six at Kudanakulam,
another 4-6 in West Bengal and still more elsewhere. The reactors in Kudanakulam will
be VVER-1000 MWe type. The rest would be next generation VVER-1200 MWe type.
12. A high level task force for the Information Technology (IT) Industry has recommended
constitution of ‘National Electronic Mission’, a nodal agency for the electronics industry within
the Department of Information Technology (DIT) with direct interface to the PMO.
 Panel Chief Ajai Chowdhry calls for a definite action plan.
 It has also supported the IT industry’s demand of extending existing tax holidays to
ensure fast growth of the industry.
13. K. Mahesh, Chairman and M.D. Sundaram Brake Linings won the Jamshetji Tata Award at the
IIT in Mumbai for quality management.
14. Burn, a new energy drink was launched by Coca-Cola.
15. The Swiss electorate voted by 57.5% for a constitutional ban on the buildings of minarets
throughout the country.
16. Japan’s government unveiled $81 bn. of new stimulus spending to keep the world’s second
biggest economy from lurching back into recession. PM Yukio Hatogama and his cabinet
agreed to 7.2 trillion Yen ( $80.6 bn) in new spending.
17. US media giant Turner, will acquire Pranoy Roy- promoted NDTV’s Entertainment Channel
- ‘Imagine’ for Rs. 546 crore, a deal that will help Indian media group turn debt free.
18. Scientist Yash Pal and Project Director, M. Anna Durai have been chosen for the H.K. Firodia
awards for 2009. The awards, instituted in 1996 memory of H.K. Firodia, a doyen of automobile
industry, are meant to applaud scientific achievements in the country and inspire the youth to
pursue a career in science.
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5/28/2011
BRAIN TREE
CURRENT AFFAIRS & GENERAL KNOWLEDGE
1st December, 2009 to 31st December, 2009

19. India successfully test-fired the nuclear capable ballistic missile, Dhanush, from a warship (INS
Subhadra) in the Bay of Bengal off Orissa.
 Dhanush is a ship based anti-surface missile. It w as fired by Navy personnel as part of a
user-training exercise.
20. China-Kazakhastan gas pipeline inaugurated. Chinese President Hu Jintao attend the ceremony
on the invitation of his Kazakh counterpart Nursultan Nazar bayev. It is a part of the China-
Central Asia pipeline.
 Starting at the border between Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan before
reaching China’s Northwest region of Xinjiang.
 China and Kazakhstan have also joined hands to fight terrorism, separation, extremism and
drug trafficking.
21. ‘Paul A. Samuelson’, the first American Novel Laureate in Economics and the foremost
academic economist of 20th century passed away.
22. Sunil Bharati Mittal, Founder, Bharti Enterprises received the Lal Bahadur Shastri Award.
23. The Union Cabinet decided to amend the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education
Act, 2009 (RTE) to make it more disabled friendly by including children with autism, cerebral
palsy and multiple disabilities within its ambit.
 Presently, only children suffering from disabilities defined in the persons with Disabilities
(equal opportunities, protection and Full Participation) Act, 1996 (PWD) are entitled to
access the quota.
 After the proposed amendment, children in the age group 6-14, covered by the National
Trust for welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple
Disabilities Act, 1999 will also be entitled to special rights to pursue free and compulsory
education.
24. ‘Mahindra’ and ‘Mahindra’ launched a new version of its multi utility vehicle ‘Xylo’ with an
advanced engine.
25. The Cabinet committee on Infrastructure sanctioned three road projects.
a) Ranchi – Argaon – Jamshedpur section of National Highway 33 in Jharkhand.
b) Gandhidham-Mundra Port section of NH 8A (Gujarat)
c) Ahmedabad – Godhra Section of NH 59 (Gujarat)
26. The government approved the transfer of the Hindustan shipyard Limited (HSL),
Vishakapatnam, from the Ministry of shipping to the Defence Ministry for meeting the national
security requirements of building strategic vessels for the Navy.
 With this the shipyard will join the ranks of three dedicated shipyards in the public sector
to cater to the needs of the Navy and the Coast Guard.
 With the HSL coming directly under the Defence Ministry, the shipyard is expected to the
base for building an Advanced Technology Vessel and probably for the second line of
submarines sanctioned under project 75 India.
 Project 75 envisages building of six French Scorpene submarines, now under construction
at the Mazagaon Dock Limited (MDL) in Mumbai.

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BRAIN TREE
CURRENT AFFAIRS & GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

1st December, 2009 to 31st December, 2009

27. Philippines Volcano, Mayon belched 20 gray ash columns after the moderate eruption of the
8070 foot Mayon.
28. Cabinet approved the national policy on bio fuels and its implementation. The salient features
of the new policy include :
a) Bio-diesel production will be taken up from non-edible oil seeds in waste / degraded /
marginal lands.
b) An indicative target of 20% blending of bio-fuels, both for bio-diesel and bio-ethanol, by
2017 has been proposed.
29. A terrorist attack on 25th December, 2009 was foiled when a Nigerian man was trying to
ignite an explosive device. The incident took place as ‘Northwest Airlines Flight 253’, flying
from Amsterdam, prepared to land in Detroit. The initial take off was from Nigeria, it landed
midway in Amsterdam and then flew to Detroit. Preliminary analysis of the device used by
Mutallab ( suspect ) shows that it contains Pentaerythitol Tetranitrate ( PETN) which is a
colourless, crystalline material that is generally stored and shipped as mixture with water. It is
less sensitive than nitroglycerin but is easily detonated.
30. Chatisgarh Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan has been given additional charge of Andhra Pradesh
after the existing Governor N.D. Tiwari resigned.
31. The data on tax collections released recently by the Finance Ministry for the first eight months
(April-November, 2009) show that Indirect Taxes ( customs, excise, services) receipts were
down 21% from a year ago.
32. The grandest of the South Indian Temples, Brihadisvara temple at Thanjavur enters its
millennium year in 2010. ‘Rajaraja-I’, the ‘Chola Emperor’ built it in 1010. It was then known
as ‘Rajarajesvaram’.
 The high point of the design is the Vimana ( tower over sanctum ), it is a structural
innovation of the first rank, measuring 60 mts. Tall.
 For the first time in temple history double-walled sanctum that coalesces at third tier to
support the tower was built.
 About 50,000 cubic metres of granite were utilized to build this complex.
 Various aspects of medieval society and temple management were revealed by
inscriptions.
 Chola frescoes were discovered in 1931.
 It is the only temple to have 81 of the 108 Karaans or dance postures carved on its walles.
33. ‘Mamata Bannerjee’, Railway Minister laid the foundation for twin projects at Dankuni, West
Bengal. The factories will manufacture components and sub-assemble ‘Electromotive Division
Locomotives’ for the Chitraranjan Locomotive at Chittaranjan and the Diesel Locomotive works
in Bengal.
34. PM of India lays the foundation stone for the National Institute of Science Education and
Research at Jami in Bhubaneshwar.
35. The Kota bridge collapsed over Chambal river in Rajasthan.

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5/28/2011
BRAIN TREE
CURRENT AFFAIRS & GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

1st December, 2009 to 31st December, 2009

36. The Centre has slightly amended the new guidelines on long-term multi entry visas which
mandate a two month gap between visits making an exception for visitors who enter India,
then go to other countries and return to India to take a flight back home. The new guidelines
were issued after Lashkar operative David Headley made several reconnaissance trips to India
on a long-term multi entry tourist visa.
 Foreign visitors will be allowed two or three entries under certain conditions.
 Tourists wanting to re-enter before a two month gap must provide documentation.
37. The Nuclear attack submarine, Nerpa, has been formally inducted in the Russian Navy for
subsequent leasing to the Indian Navy next spring.
 Before the submarine is commissioned as INS Chakra in March, the Indian crew would
undergo training and sailing together with Russian specialists and servicemen.
 The submarine is being leased to the Indian Navy for 10 years under a $650 million deal.
 The 12,770 to Nerpa, an Akula II Class nuclear powered attack submarine, is rated one of
the world’s deadliest and quietest warships. India’s indigenous INS Arihant ( submarine )
too, has been designed after Russia’s Akula II submarines.
 Nerpa is the second Russian submarine India has leased in the past 20 years.
38. The ruling political party, the Congress celebrated its 125 th foundation day on 28th December
2009. It set up a new headquarter, Indira Gandhi Bhavan in New Delhi in addition to the already
existing Swaraj Bhavan in Allahabad and 7 Jantar Mantar Road in the capital.
39. Russia will host a tiger preservation summit in Vladivostok in 2010, according to the Russian
branch of World Wildlife Fund ( WWF). Russian government ‘WWF’ and World Bank initiated
the Tiger summit, in which heads of thirteen states are expected to participate.
40. Sarojini Naidu was the first lady governor of India. She served as the Governor of U.P.
between 1947 and 1949.
41. India and Japan finalized an action plan to strengthen security cooperation, with Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh and Japanese counterpart Yukio Hatoyama signing a joint statement
on the later visit to India.
 They identified nine areas collaboration and reviewed economic cooperation in
infrastructure development.
 Japan offered to provide ‘bullet train technology’ to the Indian Railways in its quest to
build the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor project from Rewari in Haryana to Vadodara
in Gujarat.
 It was decided to work to conclude the comprehensive economic partnership act at the
earliest.
 Both nations with hold annual bilateral exercise alternately of India and Japan, and if
possible hold multi-lateral cooperation too. The Malabar 2007 exercise involves five
navies – India, Japan, the United States, Australia and Singapore. The plan also envisages
participation as observers in major army and air force exercises and passing exercises
during ship visits.
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BRAIN TREE
CURRENT AFFAIRS & GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

1st December, 2009 to 31st December, 2009

 Two pacts related to Delhi, Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) were inked, including that
for collaboration in developing eco-cities around the project.
a) DMIC Development Corporation entered into a pact with Japan External Trade
Organisation (JETRO) for collaborating with the environment-related projects and for
transfer of Japanese expertise in developing and promoting smart communities (eco-
cities ) around the DMIC project area.
b) DMIC Project Development Fund is envisaged to be set up with equal contribution
from India and Japan.
 The DMIC is planned to promote integrated development of industry and infrastructure in a
band of 150-200 km on either side of the dedicated railway freight corridor between
Delhi and Mumbai, over a length of about 1,500 km.
42. China National Petroleum Corporation ( CNPC), China is laying the Myanmar gas pipeline to
supply gas found in offshore blocks A-1 and A-3 to mainland China. It is a 870 km pipeline to
transport natural gas found in Bay of Bengal.
 OVL ( ONGC Videsh Ltd. ) and GAIL (India ) will join the China project.
43.

TOP SIX SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGHS OF THE YEAR, 2009 ACCORDING TO

THE MAGAZINE SCIENCE.
 The research of Ardi, the female fossil, that brought to light Ardipithecus ranidus, a
hominid species that lived 4.4 million years ago in Ethiopia. It belongs to an era more
primitive to ‘Lucy’.
 NASA’s Fermi Gamma Ray Space Telescope helped to identify previously unknown
pulsars –highly magnetized and rapidly rotating neutron starts and shed light onto their
unique gamma –ray emissions.
 ‘Rapamycin’ – Researchers found that tinkering with a key signaling pathway produces
life-extending benefits in nice- the first such result ever achieved in mammals.
 ‘Graphene’ – in a string of rapid – fire advances, material scientists probed the
properties of graphene –highly conductive sheets of carbon atoms and started
fashioning the material into experimental electronic devices.
 Plant ABA receptors: solving the structure of a critical molecule that helps plant survive
during droughts may help scientists design new ways to protect crops against
prolonged dry periods.
 LCLS at SLAC : SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory unveiled the world’s first x-ray
laser, a powerful research tool capable of taking snapshots of chemical reactions in
progress, altering the electronic structures of materials, and myriad other experiments
spanning a wide range of scientific fields.

DISCLAIMER
The information presented above has been collected from a variety of sources. Brain Tree
exercises due care and caution in collecting the data before publication. Inspite of this, if any
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CURRENT AFFAIRS & GENERAL KNOWLEDGE
omission, inaccuracy or printing errors occur with regard to the data, Brain Tree will not be held
responsible or liable.

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